Israel Government Proposes to Hungary Transfer of All “undesired” Jews to Israel

July 3, 1951

TEL AVIV (Jul. 2)

The Israel Government has proposed to the Hungarian Government that the “undesired” Jews, now being deported from Budapest and other Hungarian cities under Hungary’s so-called “resettlement” program, be transferred to Israel, it was learned here today.

The proposal was submitted to the Hungarian Government by the Israeli charge d’affaires in Budapest who also asked that the fate of all the remaining Jews of Hungary be discussed. The Hungarian authorities have so far delayed their answer.

Over 2,000 former Hungarian Jews attended a public demonstration here today to protest the expulsion of “undesired” Hungarian Jews from the major Hungarian cities and population centers to small towns in that country. The parley also called on the Israel Government to give priority in immigration to 130,000 Hungarian Jews. Attempts by Communist groups here to disrupt the meeting failed.

Israel’s Foreign Minister Moshe Sharett today met with a delegation of Hungarian Jewish immigrants and informed the delegation of the steps taken by the Israel Government to ease the situation of the “undesired” Jews in Hungary. Following this meeting, a coordinating , committee was formed to help the Israel Government in its efforts on behalf of the Jews in Hungary. The committee is composed of representatives of the Foreign Ministry, of the Jewish Agency and of the Union of Hungarian Jews in Israel.